Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho

The document serves as a civic education tool for South African youth (defined as ages 18–35), highlighting the gap between the youth population size and their representation in parliament and voter turnout. It outlines the legal framework supporting youth participation—including the Constitution and the Municipal Systems Act—and provides practical methods for youth to engage with municipalities, such as attending Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meetings and joining ward committees.

• There is a significant disparity between the proportion of youth in the South African population and their representation in decision-making bodies; only 3% of Members of Parliament are aged 20–29, and 16.8% are aged 30–39.
• Youth voter turnout in South Africa remains low, with only 20% of registered youth voting in the 2021 local government elections and turnout remaining below 30% in the 2024 provincial and national elections.
• Youth participation in South Africa is supported by a comprehensive legal and policy framework, including the Constitution (1996), the Municipal Systems Act (2000) which emphasizes the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), the National Youth Development Agency Act (2008), and the National Youth Policy (2020–2030).
• Several barriers hinder youth engagement in local governance, including a lack of trust in political institutions, inaccessible meetings, limited opportunities for meaningful contribution, high poverty and unemployment, and restricted public education.
• The document recommends that municipalities establish Youth Units and Youth Councils, utilize digital platforms for information, and partner with youth organizations like Activate Change Drivers to ensure youth voices are heard during IDP meetings.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (n.d.). Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-isiXhosa.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho. n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-isiXhosa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-isiXhosa.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitutendilizwi, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-isiXhosa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }